Bhubaneswar: Union Petroleum and Natural Gas and Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has urged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to intervene to provide necessary particulars sought by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways at the earliest for undertaking 2,526 km of potential national highway network in the State.He requested Patnaik for furnishing the details sought by Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways so that the project can be executed fast.

Earlier, Pradhan had a review meeting at New Delhi concerning roads in Odisha with officials from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

Pradhan mentioned that Odisha has existing 4,847 km of NH network with 1,912 km entrusted with NHAI and 2,935 km entrusted with the PWD. In addition, a further 494 km of NH network has been declared and shall be entrusted to the NHAI/PWD to undertake the work soon. Further, a total of 1,278 km has been accorded in principle approval for NH and PWD has been entrusted with the DPR work. Under the ambitious Bharatmala project, 485 km has been approved and its DPR work has been taken up by the NHAI, while 324 km road has been approved under NH connectivity for backward areas/religious/tourist places under (BRT) scheme and DPR work for the same has also been undertaken by the NHAI. In addition to these, various other roads adding up to 2,526 km have been identified for having potential for development as national highways, taking the total length of existing, under implementation and planned national highway network in Odisha to 9,954 km.